Exponents
EXPONENTS
1. An exponent tells us how many times to multiply the base by
__________.
Solution:
itself
2. Is 23 the same as 32? Why or why not?
Solution:
No, it’s not the same. 23 means 2 ⋅ 2 ⋅ 2 = 8, whereas 32 means 3 ⋅ 3 = 9.
3. Find the sum.
53 + 24
Solution:
Find the value of each term individually, then add the results.
1
5⋅5⋅5+2⋅2⋅2⋅2
125 + 16
141
4. Write the number using exponents.
2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2⋅2
Solution:
Because we’re multiplying nine factors of 2, we can express that as 29
instead.
5. Write the following number without an exponent.
16
Solution:
Because we’re multiplying six factors of 1, we can express that as
1 ⋅ 1 ⋅ 1 ⋅ 1 ⋅ 1 ⋅ 1 instead.
2
6. Write the number without an exponent.
(−9)6
Solution:
Because we’re multiplying six factors of −9, we can express that as
(−9) ⋅ (−9) ⋅ (−9) ⋅ (−9) ⋅ (−9) ⋅ (−9)
instead.
3
RULES OF EXPONENTS
1. Find the sum.
2x 3 + x 3 + x 3 + 3x 3
Solution:
Because all these terms are x 3 terms, we’re able to add them.
(2 + 1 + 1 + 3)x 3
7x 3
2. Find the product.
x6 ⋅ x2 ⋅ x3
Solution:
When we multiply terms with like bases, we add the exponents.
x 6+2+3
x 11
4
3. Simplify the expression.
x⋅x⋅x
Solution:
When we multiply terms with like bases, we add the exponents.
x 1+1+1
x3
4. Stephanie and Jimmy are trying to find a shortcut to simplify the
expression below. Stephanie says that they should add the exponents
(3 + 5 = 8) and then raise 4 to that power. Jimmy says that since it’s
multiplication, they should multiply the exponents (3 ⋅ 5 = 15) and then raise
4 to that power. Who is correct and why?
43 ⋅ 45
Solution:
Stephanie is correct. 43 is equivalent to 4 ⋅ 4 ⋅ 4, and 45 is equivalent to
4 ⋅ 4 ⋅ 4 ⋅ 4 ⋅ 4. If we’re multiplying these values together, we get
4⋅4⋅4⋅4⋅4⋅4⋅4⋅4
5
48
65,536
5. Simplify the expression.
x5 + x2 ⋅ x3
x7
Solution:
We’ll use the fact that
x a x b = x a+b
Here we have a = 2, and b = 3, so we get
x 2 x 3 = x 2+3 = x 5
Then
x5 + x2 ⋅ x3 x5 + x5
=
x 7 x7
Because all these terms in the numerator are x 5 terms, we’re able to add
them.
2x 5
x7
Then we’ll use the fact that
6
xa a−b
= x
xb
Here we have a = 5, and b = 7, so we get
2x 5 5−7 −2
= 2x = 2x
x7
Then, we know that x −a = 1/x a, so
−2 2
2x = 2
x
6. Simplify the expression.
x −4 ⋅ x 6
x2
Solution:
We’ll use the fact that
x a x b = x a+b
Here we have a = − 4, and b = 6, so we get
x −4 x 6 = x −4+6 = x 2
Then
7
x −4 ⋅ x 6 x 2
= 2
x2 x
Then we’ll use the fact that
xa a−b
= x
xb
Here we have a = 2, and b = 2, so we get
x2 2−2 0
= x = x =1
x2
8
POWER RULE FOR EXPONENTS
1. The power rule tells us that, when we raise a power to a power, we can
__________ those powers together.
Solution:
multiply
2. Simplify the expression.
(x 3)3
Solution:
Applying the power rule for exponents, we multiply the exponents.
x 3⋅3
x9
3. Simplify the expression.
(x 2)−4
9
Solution:
Applying the power rule for exponents, we multiply the exponents.
x 2(−4)
x −8
1
x8
4. Simplify the expression.
(2m) p
Solution:
Applying the power rule for exponents, we multiply the exponents.
2(m⋅p)
2mp
5. Simplify the expression.
(x 2y 2)3
10
Solution:
Applying a nb n = (ab)n, we can rewrite the expression as
((xy)2)3
Then using power rule, we get
(xy)2⋅3
(xy)6
x 6y 6
6. Simplify the expression.
(x −5 ⋅ x 4)−2
Solution:
When we multiply terms with like bases, we add the exponents.
(x −5+4)−2
(x −1)−2
Applying the power rule for exponents, we multiply the exponents.
x (−1)⋅(−2)
11
x2
12
NEGATIVE AND OTHER EXPONENT RULES
1. Simplify the expression.
9a 5b 4
3a 2b 7
Solution:
Use quotient rule to simplify across the numerator and denominator.
9a 5b 4
3a 2b 7
3a 5−2b 4−7
3a 3b −3
We know that x −a = 1/x a, so we get
3a 3
b3
We know that
ya ( y )
a
xa x
=
so we get
13
(b)
3
a
3
2. Simplify the expression.
2x 0y 6 − (y 2)3
x6
Solution:
First we need to simplify the numerator. We know that x 0 = 1, so
2y 6 − (y 2)3
x6
Applying the power rule for exponents, we multiply the exponents.
2y 6 − y 6
x6
y6
x6
We know that
ya ( y )
a
xa x
=
so we get
14
(x)
6
y
3. Simplify the expression.
(x 2p)3
x 3py 3p
Solution:
Use power rule to simplify the exponent in the numerator.
x 6p
x 3py 3p
Now use quotient rule to simplify across the numerator and denominator.
x 6p−3p
y 3p
x 3p
y 3p
We know that
ya ( y )
a
xa x
=
so we get
15
(y)
3p
x
4. Simplify the expression.
(x −3a+4)2
x −4a+8y −2a
Solution:
Use power rule to simplify the exponent in the numerator.
x 2(−3a+4)
x −4a+8y −2a
x −6a+8
x −4a+8y −2a
Now use quotient rule to simplify across the numerator and denominator.
x −6a+8+4a−8
y −2a
x −2a
y −2a
We know that
16
ya ( y )
a
xa x
=
so we get
(y)
−2a
x
Applying quotient to a negative exponent
(x)
2a
y
5. Simplify the expression.
4
( y −2 )
−2
5x
Solution:
We know that
ya ( y )
a
xa x
=
so we get
(5x −2)4
(y −2)4
17
Applying the power rule for exponents, we multiply the exponents.
54 x −8
y −8
(y)
−8
x
625
Then we can change the exponent from negative to positive by taking the
reciprocal of the fraction.
(x)
8
y
625
6. Simplify the expression.
0
( y 12 )
5 7
2x y
Solution:
Any non-zero value raised to the power of 0 is 1, so the expression
simplifies to just 1.
Alternately, we could use the quotient rule to simplify across the
numerator and denominator.
18
0
( y 12 )
5 7
2x y
(2x 5y 7−12)0
(2x 5y −5)0
Then, we know that x −a = 1/x a, so
0
( y5 )
5
2x
(2x 5y −5)0 =
Applying the power rule for exponents, we multiply the exponents.
(2x 5)0
(y 5)0
20 x 0
y0
1⋅1
1
19
20
